What Am I Doing Here?!

This is my very first class in the Teacher Librarian diploma and I have only TTOC'd in a library a handful of times. I don't quite understand the full capacity of the position of Teacher Librarian just yet. I was worried I would have nothing to contribute to this week's topic of "On-Going Professional Development" and hesitated starting this blog post. I've really enjoyed reading and commenting on my colleague's blog posts and learning more about what the next step in my career will entail. One thing that I know for sure is that when I do have my own library someday, it will be a place that I want students and teacher's alike to come to and enjoy learning in. A Library Learning Commons is not a space just for the students, it is a space for the whole school, and I want that space to be welcoming. I took the above picture at Chilliwack Secondary School on September 23, 2019. These students stood outside every day (that I was there) for the month of September. Feeling welcome in a space really does make a difference.

Writing this blog has really helped to keep me focussed on my learning at this busy time of year. Reading my colleague's blogs have expanded my knowledge more than I had expected. In my own library someday I would love to keep a blog to keep the school community (students, parents, and teachers) up to date about what is happening in the school library and beyond. I would love to use a blog for unofficial professional development and letting teacher's know about the resources available in the library. In last week's topic, a few of my colleagues and myself had a discussion about making connections as TTOCs and one thing that came up a few times was informal get-togethers or "coffee connections" (as mentioned in the comments section by Kaitlin). I love this idea and would like to see something similar happen within the smaller school community as well. Hosting monthly coffee connections for teacher's to come in to look at resources and discuss what they are doing in their classrooms would be a fun and casual way to share professional development strategies.

I am excited to continue learning from my colleagues through their blogs and from Teacher Librarians in my school district while I visit various schools as a TTOC. I have enjoyed looking through the Professional Development section of the BCTLA website to see what will be in store for my future and add more tools to my toolbox.